Campus Life man wins Prize for Best Student in Journalism

A reporter with Campus Life, The Nation, Miftaudeen Raji, has won the Prize for The Best Student in Journalism in the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Raji’s name was announced at the University’s 50th Convocation Ceremony on Tuesday when graduands from faculties of Social Science and Education were awarded their first degrees.

Meanwhile, Raji has attributed the award to the tutelage and enabling platform offered by The Nation’s Campus Life, a weekly pull-out dedicated for news across Nigerian campuses.

“This couldn’t have been possible without the utmost help of Allah and the unflinching supports of some great people, particularly the Campus Life Editor, Mr. Wale Ajetunmobi and my lecturer, Asso. Prof. Ismail Ibraheem.

“I dedicate the prize to all the fallen heroes in Journalism and youths striving everyday to change the world. Campus Life has instilled in me great confidence and the opportunity to meet influential people whom I’ve tapped knowledge from.

“Campus Life has tremendously widened my world view and prominently help me to build an enviable portfolio in Journalism,” Raji said.

He also dedicated the Prize to The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State (Iwe-Iroyin, Cradle of Journalism), where according to him, he started receiving journalism training.

“It all started in Abeokuta during the Three Months SIWES and One Year IT when i was attached to the Ogun State Bureau Chief of Nigerian Pilot, Mr.Sulaiman Fasasi.

Raji said his dream has always been to write for national newspapers, but couldn’t achieve the goal through out his spell in Abeokuta due to the house policies of some national newspapers – Not to publish stories of IT students.

“But, with the experiences I had gathered from different Journalists in Iwe-Irohyin, I couldn’t just hold it than to start writing immediately I discovered Campus Life in UNILAG,” he said.

He added that The Nation,_particularly Campus Life Editor, Ajetunmobi, has demonstrated unrivalled contribution towards building capacities of student reporters by providing an enabling platform to experiment.

“I appreciate The Nation and all the staff including the Chairman, Mr. Sam Omatseye, Madam Kofoworola Belo-Osagie and former Online Editor, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin. The entire The Nation family are amazing people, who showed us much love and encouragement. They all made my dream of writing for National Newspaper*possible,” an apparently excited Raji said.

Prior to his BSc. Degree in Mass Communication in UNILAG, Raji had his National Diploma in Mass Communication from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta in 2013.

A member of MAPOLY Campus Press, he has served as Editor for campus publications in the Polytechnic. He also served as the News Editor and Editor-In-Chief for Unilag Sun in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Raji reported for The Nation, Tribune and the defunct National Mirror as an undergraduate.